In 2017, the Benedictine Bengals finished with a 6-4 record in the regular season but fell to Barberton in the first of the OHSAA playoffs, 36-6.

This year, the Bengals lose a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, but third-year head coach Carter Welo gets quarterback Nick Demchuk back under center. With their veteran back under center and a group of hungry underclassmen stepping up, the Bengals are looking to make a deeper push into the playoffs in 2018.

It was a tough start to the 2017 season for the Hoban Knights as they lost their home opener to St. Ignatius, 17-3. All the Knights did after that was win 14 in a row and claim the Division 2 State Championship. After claiming the North Coast Conference’s Blue Division in dominating fashion, it was an even more impressive run in the playoffs for Hoban. The Knights pounded Mayfield into submission, 56-27, in the first round before defeating Brush 49-0 in round two. In the regional final, Hoban dispatched Barberton, 42-13, and then cruised past Avon, 30-6 in the state semi-finals. In the state title game, Cincinnati’s Winton Woods didn’t fare any better, as the Knights claimed the crown, 42-14, in convincing fashion.

In 2018, Hoban returns elite playmakers in Tyris Dickerson and DeaMonte Trayanum as well as the anchor to their offensive line, Michigan commit Nolan Rumler, giving the program a great shot at defending their state championship.

It was an up and down season for head coach Scott O’Donnell and his Cougars team, finishing with a 5-5 mark. In 2018, the team loses both their quarterback Jack Gibbons and running back Kevin Conley but Matt Slowey and Robert Morgan will be eager to step into those roles and produce at a high level.

It was a successful season on the field for Notre-Dame Cathedral Latin, finishing 8-2 in the regular season before defeating Alliance, 38-14, in the first round of the playoffs. Despite a second-round exit to Canfield, the Lions’ confidence is sky-high in 2018 with the return of quarterback Nick Gatozzi and running back Kyle Medves on offense and the return of linebacker Zach Urda on defense.

Head coach Andrew Mooney and his NDCL program will look to make a little more noise in 2018 once the playoffs roll around in November.

Padua Franciscan also celebrated a very successful season the field in 2017, with the Bruins finishing 8-2 in the regular season and posting a playoff win over University School, 48-41, in the first round before ultimately falling to Bay, 21-7, in the regional semi-finals.

This season, the Bruins need to replace quarterback Kevin Peterson and running back Trent Cramer but the return of Purdue commit Crishawn Long as well as defensive end Colt Jennings gives this program that leadership it needs to make a deeper run into the playoffs in 2018.

The Walsh Jesuit Warriors are excited more than most teams to get on the field in 2018, as they look to put the 2-8 finish in 2017 in the past.

Quarterback Cameron Mayes returns under center for the Warriors along with a host of key contributors on both sides of the ball. Head coach Scott Beigie is counting on the experience that his kids gained from last season gives his football team the motivation it needs to win plenty of more games in 2018.

North Coast League: Stripes Division

Cleveland Central Catholic Ironmen

Head Coach – John Lundy (15th season)

2017 Record –6-4

Division 3

Region 10

Key Returners: WR Kody Bell

Key Losses: RB David Lee, RB Marvin Minger, WR/DL Keije Brown

The Ironmen of Cleveland Central Catholic were thrilled to get back to their winning ways in 2017, finishing with a 6-4 record.

In 2018, the Ironmen are hoping their persistence pays off with a Stripes Division crown and a return to the OHSAA playoffs. The loss of running backs David Lee and Marvin Minger won’t make it easy but head coach John Lundy is excited to see who will step up to fill any voids that were created by the graduations of last year’s seniors.

The Lancers finished with a 6-4 mark and clinched a spot in the OHSAA playoffs in 2017, before falling to Black River.

This season, head coach Chris Kosiorek gets quarterback Jack Krebs as well as wide receiver C.J. Charleston back in the fold. Giving Gilmour Academy a great shot at making a return to the postseason in 2018.

Despite the 4-6 regular season finish the JFK Eagles snuck into the playoffs as a seven seed in 2017, dropping a first-round contest to Cuyahoga Heights.

For head coach Jeff Bayuk and his Eagles, clinching a playoff spot isn’t enough. Kennedy has made a tradition out of making deep runs in the OHSAA playoffs and the expectation is that the program will get back to that this season despite the loss of quarterback Greg Valent. The return of dynamic running back Jordan Edmondson means that JFK will be sure to pile up the points in 2018.

The VASJ Vikings finished the 2017 season with a 4-6 record, missing out on the playoffs in Bill Sowers first year as head coach.

In 2018, coach Sowers returns running back Devland Culliver and plenty of experience on the offensive and defensive lines, giving the program a lot of confidence that the Vikings will make a return to the top of the Stripes division, while also competing for a playoff spot come November.

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